skip to content

Tight spaces? No problem.
Plumbing and Electrical
Plumbing and Electrical Overview
Tasks
Attachments
Bobcat 329 compact excavator Photos

Excavating

There's no question that compact excavators have become the trenching tool of choice for utility contractors. Bobcat offers more than a dozen different models of excavators ranging from an ultra-compact excavator to machines that can easily handle your heaviest jobs. Use them to save time and effort on digging and loading work. For example, multifunction hydraulics give you fast cycle times and impressive digging and breakout forces, while specially designed soft-touch joysticks provide effortless control of the work group. If you're always working in tight quarters, choose a compact excavator with zero tail swing (ZTS) or zero house swing (ZHS) to boost production.

LT414 Trencher Attachment Photos

Installation

Bobcat offers several different attachments for plumbing and electrical installation. Determining the right one to choose depends on the size of the job, ground conditions and several other factors. The trencher attachment is likely the most recognizable utility installation attachment and is mostly known for its strength, ease of use and versatility. The vibratory plow attachment is known for the minimal ground disturbance it causes to established areas. It places utility lines up to a maximum depth of 18 inches below ground level by slicing a thin blade into the ground and placing the line directly into the trench with a single pass. But when faced with placing utility lines in areas where they're unable trench or plow, contractors turn to the boring attachment, which can place utility lines under sidewalks, driveways and other structures.

Excavator Backfill Blade Photos

Backfilling

Once the utility lines are installed, use the standard floating blade on the Bobcat compact excavator for easier leveling and backfilling. On compact excavators with the FastTrack™ drive system, there's a low speed for backfilling, grading and dozing, which is as fast as other brands' high speed. This means you can backfill, grade and doze at twice the speed of other excavators. The drive system gives you muscle to push through heavier piles of material and move faster around jobsites — boosting your productivity.